The Cleveland Cavaliers came into the 2023 NBA Draft with a singular, sparse asset: the No. 49 pick, only nine picks away from the end of the draft. Having traded their first-round pick to the Indiana Pacers and not having made any trades leading up to the draft, the Cavs had a lot of pressure to make the most of the pick.
With a core of four young players in place, the Cavs were looking for role players to fit around them. Would they go for an older prospect to try and plug in right away, or recognize their lack of picks moving forward and invest in a younger, higher-upside prospect?